Only Way to Live
by RedHotChilli
Summary: Season two AU. Damon's hopelessly in love with Elena and Katherine's creating havoc. New vampire in town drives Damon insane. DamonxOC
1. Abominably Rude

I hadn't trudged down the road for five minutes before I wanted to turn back to see her again. Walking at snail speed I paced around the end of her road until I gave in to my instincts. Stefan may be my brother but Elena kissed me. She didn't slap me away. She didn't walk away. She knew what I was going to do and still listened to me. I had to know what she was thinking. I started walking up to her house again without a clue what to say.

My heart started beating hard against my chest as I went to knock on the door. Suddenly I heard Elena scream from inside. Bashed the lock and broke in, heart now in my throat. I thought it was all over for the night. Apparently some damn undead creature thought otherwise.

As I ran in, the smell of blood flooded the place. Elena's screams came from the kitchen, the wrench of blood too. One flash step later, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Elena was fine. Of course John Gilbert was bleeding to death but whatever. The git blackmailed me, almost killed me and killed that Anna girl.

"Damon! Damon! Call for help!" Elena was screaming her heart out. No idea why. She hates him just as much but if it's important to her… Elena was holding his head, tears streaming down her sweet little face. His fingers were lying on the counter, with the ring. Ok. Job smells of vampire.

"Elena, it's probably not safe here. I'll carry him. Let's go. Um if possible, bring his fingers." Elena glared at me, tears quickly disappearing. Great Damon. In front of the one girl you want to charm, you put your foot in your mouth. I pretended I didn't see it and bent down to pick John up.

John was stammering through the pain. Repeatedly saying "No!" and pushing Elena away.

"John. What the hell. We're trying to help you. Calm down!" Another glare shooting my way but I was focused on John. Something wasn't right. What was wrong with him? That's when it all clicked. Katherine.

* * *

><p>"So you're telling me Katherine walked into my house uninvited and stabbed him?" Elena mockingly questioned in the hospital waiting room.<p>

"Well no. Jenna let her in. She was pretending to be you. Very easily done when you two look like mirror images."

"How do you even know this, Damon?" Stefan always had a knack for finding the little shred of incriminating evidence. Especially when it came to me.

"I talked to Katherine thinking she was Elena before she walked in," I said with my best guilty look as Stefan and Elena groaned as if I could have stopped her.

"What on earth did she say?"

Well might as well throw it all in there. "Well I did the talking and to put another frown line on a very crowded forehead...we kissed."

"Look, John's gonna be fine! I gave Caroline blood and so she's gonna be fine too! Man you guys ask for way too much."

"Damon that's not the point. Katherine's here now and she's been invited in! What are we going to do?" Elena's such a drama queen.

"Wait you kissed Katherine thinking she was Elena?" Someone needs to put a mute button on Stefan.

"Don't worry. I don't think she'll hurt Elena. If she was going to she would've today," I said, only half convincing myself. "I think we want to be more worried about her impersonating Elena." Now Stefan was the one glaring.

"Elena, you should get back to Jeremy. Until the blood's out of his system he could do anything."

"Wait. What?" I ask confused. "What's lonely boy done now?"

"He drank Anna's blood and tried to overdoes," Elena replied harshly throwing yet another glare.

"Shit. Yeah you should get back. We can clear up here and start on Katherine. Bonnie, you in?"

"How'd you know I was here?" the sullen witch came out from behind a wall. I had only seen her reflection in nurse's trolley but why not awe people some more.

"I can smell a witch from a mile away." Blank faces of disbelief.

"Moving on, if Katherine is here then first place she's gonna go is the Salvatore Boarding House. I'll go check there and you guys find out what else she's done tonight."

* * *

><p>I smashed everything that was glass and within my reach before collapsing on the couch with my trusty bottle of whiskey. Only thing that's stuck with me for 150 years really.<p>

"Aren't you going to even apologise?" Damn Stefan. Always a step behind me.

"What's the point? Elena hates me now. Katherine's here for you so you might want to watch out but I'm all good. Me and my bottle of whiskey will be here for a good 100 years a no one will give a shit," drunkenness brings out a wonderful colour in everyone. Me, it brings out sucky emotions.

"You know this is what Katherine wants Damon. She's going to be pitting us against each other a lot. You can't try and kill someone every time she does."

"Don't worry little brother. Our bond is unbreakable. Now leave me and my whiskey alone." For once, Stefan did as told.

Ten minutes later I was just about to dose off after downing the entire bottle when I heard a rustle at the window.

"Katherine. I get it. You like Stefan. Everyone likes Stefan. Damon sucks. You can go now," I ramble in my drunken stupor.

"Do you always talk about yourself in the third person little vampire?" a voice behind me said. Wasn't Katherine. Sounded more girly. Thought I should get up. Could be troublesome vampires who escaped the bloodbath today.

"How am I a little vampire?" I stood up to face her but she was already pacing around the room. Completely wasted, I could barely trace her voice let alone see her.

"So young you can't hold your liquor or keep track of me in a small room. Yes that's very young. Barely 100 years I'd say," she said with a giggle. A giggle. What kind of vampire giggles?

"It's rude to not introduce yourself you know and I'm almost 150!"

"My apologies. I'll show myself soon enough. But first I need to answer my questions little Salvatore. Was it you who set that device off tonight?"

"If you're one of Katherine's little slaves, the plan worked. She's causing chaos left right and centre."

"Ok…how many vampires are there in this town?"

"Well after tonight it was supposed to be just two but by the looks of it no matter what I do more members of the supernatural society keep coming." Another giggle and still invisible. This was starting to annoy me, but the alcohol was wearing off.

"You're amusing. I'll think I will be sticking around. Looks like things are getting interesting here. Thanks little vampire. I'll see you around."

"Wait…" she was gone. Abominably rude vampire bitch.


	2. Freeloader

_Author's Note:_

_Ok at first I wasn't sure how I was going to do this but I think the original storyline of Season two will carry on and this story will slot in among the chaos. If anything is different I'll rewrite the scene accordingly. It will probably only be an issue later on. Please review and let me know what you think. It matters!_

* * *

><p>Searing pain of a pounding headache. So tired I can't even lift a finger. The sun's light pouring in through the open window burning up my eyes. Yep. Confirmed. Worst hangover of my life.<p>

"Must get blood…" I mumbled as I propped myself onto my feet.

"Feeling any better Damon?" Stefan's voice sarcastically loomed in.

"Why don't I puke on you and you tell me?"

"Elena should be here any minute. Be civil."

"I'm always civil, Stefan," I replied, sauntering over to the drinks cabinet. No blood bags. Perfect.

"I'm leaving anyway."

"Don't kill anyone today. We can't afford anymore trouble with Katherine on the loose."

* * *

><p>Back in the hospital blood bank twice in one week, I shoved about twenty blood bags into a rucksack frustrated at my lack of control. The blood bank attendant sat staring at me. First time mind compulsion's always a shock to the body.<p>

"Is everything ok in here?" I swivelled around to see a young girl with a stethoscope around her neck leaning against the doorway with a wide smile. Too young to be a doctor. I assumed she must be a medical student. No need to scar without cause right?

"Everything's fine. Dr. Burns asked for a few units for his department. Scott here is a little dazed from night out yesterday so I'm helping myself," I said with a laugh pointing to the bemused guy I compelled. I turned back hoping she knew little enough of the hospital to believe my lies. Stefan better be happy. Fresh blood would work a lot better right now. It took everything I had not to feed on the girl.

"Sure. Sure. Sounds about right. Make sure you do the paperwork before you leave. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't bite anyone here." I spun around, dropping my bag, but of course she was gone; even after flashing around the hospital for ten minutes I couldn't find her. Stefan's not going to be happy.

* * *

><p><em>(after the Carnival in Episode 2)<em>

"Stefan, I know we just got thrown with Caroline's new blood craving and the annoying new Lockwood but I think we have another problem too."

"Damon, we don't have time to fight about Elena. We need to get rid of Katherine as soon as possible and find out what's happening with the Lockwoods." I hate it when he behaves like the older one.

"No. As riveting as that conversation would be, I think we may have another vampire on the loose." Stefan hardly seemed surprised. New vampires on the block are a daily occurrence now.

"Who is it?"

"No idea. Dark haired tanned bitch posed as a medical student at the hospital today."

"How can vampires tan Damon?" Stefan asked exasperatedly.

"I don't know…Oh. She may have been Asian or something before she turned… Why does that even matter?"

"I don't know. You brought it up. Anyway, what did she want?"

"No idea. She came to question me yesterday about vampires in the town as well. I thought it was a dream when I woke up but she's real. If she's working for Katherine then we have a big problem. If she's here for something else we have a big problem there too. You might want to warn your girlfriend about letting people in to the house."

"We'll just have to keep an eye out for her. I need to help Caroline. She was a crazy human. Imagine how crazy she's going to be as a vampire." Stefan turned to leave and I went for another dose of O neg.

"Stefan. Tell Caroline I'm…" I started. Stefan turned around astonished. "…nevermind."

"I'll tell her you're sorry. Don't worry. You saved her life last night. Maybe only because Bonnie threatened you but still." I scowled as he walked out looking smug.

* * *

><p>"Hi, little vampire."<p>

I didn't even bother to turn around. She'd only disappear right?

"Are you going to tell me who you are now?"

"I'm afraid I can't. I do have a favour to ask though." I laughed. Next second she was sitting next to me. Stethoscope gone but she still had that all-knowing look on her face. That evil vampire look, like Katherine.

"Why would I help a vampire I don't know?" She took a bag of blood from the table and started sipping.

"Well because with that Katherine on the loose, a werewolf in the town, and kids in the town turning into monsters everyday, I thought maybe you guys need a hand. Besides, doesn't really matter whether you agree or not nothing you can do really. Not smart to be in a house with no humans. Anyone can come in."

"What do you want then?"

"I want to stay here. I need to figure some things out and come summer things are going to get interesting in this town."

"What are you psychic or something? And sorry to burst your bubble but this town is already bustling with supernatural drama."

Her smile widened and she turned to face me. "Is it true you almost died at the hands of a witch? 145 years and still can't fend for yourself?"

"Ok. Bonnie Bennett is one mad witch hell bent on killing me ok. And I handle her fine. I'm alive aren't I?" But her patronising drawl didn't stop there.

"So I've been doing some research. You're one of the Salvatore brothers who Katerina stayed with before she disappeared in 1865 right? And now your brother is with Elena, the doppelganger?" I was losing patience. This girl had the audacity to just sit there and ask questions and not answer a single one.

"Yes! Katherine loved Stefan 145 years ago and now Elena does as well. How come you know the name Katerina?" At this she started laughing.

"That's right. You loved Katherine and now you love Elena. But your little brother got there first both times right?" That was the final straw. I grabbed her by the neck and slammed her head against the wall, her feet dangling a foot above the ground. Stefan never said I couldn't kill a vampire. She's probably working for Katherine anyway.

"If you don't start answering questions right now I'm gonna rip your puny heart out and stake it in front of you. Did Katherine send you here?" I screamed in her face. But her expression barely changed. Her smug smile was still plastered on her face even as I pressed against her thorax. Does she not feel pain or something?

"Damon. I'm not working with Katherine. I'm here to help you. I can't tell you who I am just yet but I swear I'm not here to hurt you or anyone else." There was no fear in her eyes. Her breathing had got faster but she looked amused if anything. Of course, I had snapped by this point so she was gonna die no matter what.

"I don't think I believe you. I don't need your help so you can just die instead." With that I plunged my hand into her chest. Or at least I thought I had.

She let out a sigh, her breath flicking my hair out of my eyes. "You give me no choice little vampire." I looked down to see my hand in front of her chest, as if it had been stopped by a brick wall. No one has abs that hard right? Before I could understand what had happened, her fingers pushed me squarely in the chest. The force of her push sent me flying across the room and I crashed into the floor with a painful break of a few ribs.

"It's rude to touch a woman without her permission you know." She rubbed her neck where I left a bruise, otherwise unfazed. She walked over to the groaning imbecile, me, with her boots clapping against the floor as she walked. She bent down and grabbed me by the back of my shirt and dragged me to the sofa, shoved another bag of blood in my hands and sat down beside me again.

"I'll only not hurt you if you behave, Damon."

"That's gonna happen…" I smirked through my pain. By this point I realised she's staying. To be able to injure me this much with a simple push, she must be very old. And her awkward old-fashioned speech meant she was definitely new in town.

"I'll talk to your brother when he gets back. I thought you would be easier to convince but apparently not."

"Question: How many bloody centuries old are you?" At this she only giggled again. She must be at least 500 years old and yet she giggles. What a freak. She got up and tousled my hair as she walked out. If I wasn't incapacitated I would've broke her arm but that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"You can call me "S" for now. I'm going to take a shower. Try to stay still while those ribs realign."

Great, now I had a freeloader.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Ok tell me what you think of my OC! Constructive criticism welcome! :)<strong>_


	3. Freak

By the time I got my ribs back in position and drank five units of blood, the bitch was in the shower and Stefan had come back.

"Who did this to you Damon?" Stefan asked, putting the caring little brother act on.

"The bitch of a vampire in our bathroom. Don't even try it Stefan. She's…strong. I couldn't fight her, I doubt your woodland creature diet will help at all," I said wincing.

"Why would I fight her Damon? I only want to tell her thanks," Stefan smirked. "If she hasn't killed you already then she can't be all that bad. What does she want?"

"Well, that's just it. She won't tell me what the hell she's here for. She wants to stay here while she "figures things out", whatever that means."

"It means things in this town are going to pick up much much more and I don't want to scare you unnecessarily," the bitch swaggered back in, a black towel wrapped around her hair, to reveal an antique dark necklace with a sapphire in the pendant. "Hi, Stefan. I realise you must have a lot of questions but I hope you'll be more obliging than Damon here," she stuck out a hand and Stefan shook it.

"Honestly, we can't afford to take the trouble to find out what you're here for. We have enough trouble as it is so fine. We won't get in your way, as long as you don't get in ours." She smiled at Stefan's condition.

"That works for me. If anything I'll help you two out. Now could you introduce me to Elena Gilbert?" At this Stefan stood up concerned. Sure when Elena's in trouble he's concerned, when his own brother is on the line?

"What do you need her for?"

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt her. I just thought I should know what Katherine looks like and perhaps I should explain myself to Elena. I doubt she'll be thrilled at the prospect of a woman living with her boyfriend." Stefan sat down again, completely trusting the bitch's words.

"Fine. I'll call her over tomorrow."

"Anymore questions?"

"Yes, what's your name? Damon maintains it's a colourful insult but I doubt that's the case."

"I know. Damon, you shouldn't forget I can hear you from miles away," she looked amused at my witty name for her. "You can call me "S" for now. I can't tell you my name yet. It's for your own safety. The less you know the better. Goodnight gentlemen." And with that she sauntered out of the room.

"What on earth do you think she meant by that?" I asked Stefan hoping he picked up on something I didn't.

"I have no idea… She's really old-fashioned. I like her. She'll keep you in line for a while," I rolled my eyes disbelievingly.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? You believe everything she says and you gang up on me?

"Sure looks like it, doesn't it?"

"I say we get Bonnie to give her an aneurysm and then stake her! That witch is hungry to kill a vampire Stefan. Might keep her of my back for a bit."

Stefan shook his head, "I don't see why we'd do that. She may come in useful. She's staying for now Damon. I suggest you don't get on her nerves anymore."

"Ok why are you making all the decisions?"

"Because I'm not a psychopathic killer Damon."

* * *

><p>With Stefan taking the bitch's side over mine I could only try and stay out of her way as much as possible. Of course she wasn't making it very easy. For one, she slept in my bedroom. After coming up with a plan to convince Bonnie to look into her mind and find out what she wants by force, I thought I'd get a few hours of sleep but no the bitch was all curled up in my bed!<p>

I left her in peace but the next morning she was up at six o'clock blaring music to the entire forest. I walked in with my fingers in my ears to see her dancing around the room in…Harry Potter pyjamas.

"What on earth are you doing?" I screamed over the music.

"I'm getting warmed up!" Was she high? I looked around to see my room cluttered with mounds of what could only be described as garbage. There was an entire mountain of music sheets, records and CDs strewn across my table and it looked like she'd bought out the entire selection of clothes at the mall, now piled up high on my bed.

"Did you steal all this?" I asked impressed despite myself.

"The clothes? Well I wasn't going to buy all of this when the store was open! Don't worry. I left ten thousand dollars. That should cover it right?" she answered coming out of the bathroom now dressed in black combats and sneakers. "Is Elena here yet?"

"No! It's only six o'clock. Stefan said he'd get her around eight."

"Oh. OK. I'll go and train for a bit then. Also where can I get a car from?"

"Why can't you just steal one? And what are you training for?" I asked inspecting some of her items, there was a life size portrait of her in one corner. By her clothing it must have been at least the 1600's. Next to it was a rusty sword, jewelled with rubies along the hilt, looking like something out of a history museum.

"To keep bad little vampires from misbehaving of course," she grinned sitting on the window ledge, she paused and then added, "Please don't touch my belongings Damon."

"What do you expect if you're going to keep your crap in my room?" but once again she'd disappeared. Stupid superspeed power. I turned off the radio and immediately started going through her stuff. The quicker I found something, the quicker I'd have the advantage.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Stefan left to get Elena who had surprisingly agreed to come even though I was here. She still wasn't talking to me after that night. I couldn't stand her being angry at me. I regretted trying to hurt Jeremy the next second but it was too late to take anything back.<p>

I was sitting in the main hall reading some of the bitch's letters, when they arrived.

"Er…where is she Damon?" Stefan asked not wanting to call her by a stupid letter. He won't have to for long anyway I thought, smiling to myself. Elena didn't even look at me and Bonnie simply gave a nod of acknowledgement. I was just about to reveal the new vampire's weird morning habits when she swung down the stairs herself.

"I thought I heard you guys," she said cheerfully. "It's nice to finally meet you Elena." Much to my annoyance Elena seemed to like her too. After a few exchanges the bitch then turned to Bonnie. "You must be Bonnie Bennett. I've heard a lot about your family." How come every new vampire knows Bonnie's a witch now? She stuck out a hand to Bonnie, who was reluctant to take it, eyeing her up suspiciously.

"We don't need any more vampires in this town. If you do anything to hurt anyone in this town, I won't rest until you have a stake in your heart," good old Bonnie hissed before shaking her hand. But the moment she touched her Bonnie seized up, her eyes widening.

"Don't worry Bonnie. I assure you I won't hurt anyone in this town as long as no one tries to hurt me," she said with the same smile and Bonnie relaxed. Neither Stefan nor Elena seemed to notice the weird exchange but I guessed Bonnie must've felt her strength or something when she shook her hand.

"If that's the case then why can't you just tell us who you are then?" Elena piped up. Cue Damon:

"She doesn't have to. Do you, Sara?" I asked slyly. Her ears perked up and she turned around slowly to face me. Next second I was pinned against the wall, much like she was yesterday, only her grip on my throat was excruciatingly painful. Elena let out a gasp and Stefan attempted to talk the bitch out of killing me. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she was glaring into my eyes, a few centimetres from my face.

"Looks like the tables have turned Damon. I told you not to touch my stuff didn't I?" she scolded. "Perhaps I softened up too early, Damon. Don't think because I seemed harmless this morning that I will stand anything you do."

"You thought I was going to just let you invade and not answer any questions?" I sputtered but she only tightened her vice like grip on my neck, her fingernails digging into me. If she wasn't able to decapitate me with her bare hands I would've probably enjoyed her body pressing up against mine.

"Sara, please let him go. As annoying as he is, we need him," Stefan argued, so convincingly for the life of his only remaining family. Sara looked back at him and a stunned Elena and Bonnie. Despite not acknowledging my existence Elena looked worried for my safety just the same. Sara loosened her grip and stepped back.

"I'm sorry. I had hoped my past life wouldn't be brought here," she said looking at the floor. "No helping it now I guess. Damon is right. My name is Sara. I originally come from Egypt. I haven't been in America in a while but I heard that…well I thought someone could use my help here. Anyway, I've decided to enrol at the high school. I probably won't attend much but I need to graduate again."

I groaned in my mind. She was like Stefan. Always wanting to do something with her eternal life… what bullshit. Who would want to go through high school more than once?

Elena looked amused at Sara's little story and her and Stefan apologised for my behaviour.

"Ok. One: You two are not my parents. Don't start apologising on my behalf. And Two: Sara, I am not sorry in the slightest. You should be grateful if anything. This way I'm not calling you a bitch constantly."

"I'm not surprised Damon. You're a right piece of work," Sara replied looking upset.

"Why don't you come with us to school now? You can enrol and we can pretend that we're all normal high school students?" Elena smiled ignoring me again.

"Actually I have some stuff to do today; forging documents and stuff. It's just easier than compelling everyone you come across."

After more idle chit-chat Stefan, Elena and Bonnie left for school and Sara went up to my room without a word to me.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was just her wondering around the house, eating everything we kept in the kitchen and whenever I peeked into my room she was filling in forms while blaring the radio again. However, her cheerful smile from this morning was gone and now whenever she looked at me she had a wordless pained expression on her face. Annoyed the hell out of me. Even the evil deadly vampire look from last night was better than this.<p>

Eventually I got so bored of waiting for Katherine to turn up; I took out her letters from a drawer in the hall, where I'd hidden them. They were love letters between her and a man called Charles. The paper had worn so much the writing was barely legible. They were quite old. I decided that I should probably return them to her, you know out of politeness.

"So who's Charles?" She sighed and stood up to face me from her desk. Wait my desk!

"None of your business." She flashed across the room and grabbed the letters out of my hand. This time I saw her coming. I quickly grabbed her hand before she could flash out of reach again.

"Really, Damon? Haven't I hurt you enough already today?" she was still upset. Her eyes gave it away even if her speech didn't.

"Look, Sara. All I wanted to find out was who you were. Not my fault the only information you had about yourself was in these letters!"

"You're right Damon. Of course, it's my fault that I forced you to read my private letters. It's my fault that you have no sense of boundaries and don't care a jot about anyone else's feelings." She broke free of my hold and returned to the desk. "Leave me alone Damon."

She wasn't going to forget this in a hurry so I turned to go when I heard the chair scraping and a small "ummm" escape her mouth.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Um…what's an iPod?" she asked fiddling with a curl in her hair. I laughed out loud. She narrowed her eyes again.

"Er…it's a sort of music player. You use a computer to put songs or videos onto it and then you can listen to it when you go out. Where did you hear about them?"

"On the radio. Does everyone have a computer now? Aren't they really expensive?" she asked, knowing that her questions will probably sound as stupid as the first.

"How long have you been locked away, Sara?" I asked genuinely curious. Maybe she'd been stuck in a tomb for a while too. I sat myself down on my bed. She'd tidied up and now all of her belongings were in locked metal boxes, the small keys rattled on her necklace.

Sara bit her bottom lip while thinking for a minute. She looked nervous to indulge more information about herself to me. "I wasn't locked away; I spent the last thirty years in the Amazon rainforest ok? Hard to keep up when you're 1000 miles away from civilisation."

Every ounce of willpower I had was going into asking her why on earth would anyone spend twenty years stuck in a bloody rainforest but sensing she would only get angry again I explained how technology had advanced while she'd been feeding on tribes people. She got excited as hell when I told her about the internet and left to find a computer store in Mystic Falls. I chose not to tell her that she wouldn't find one for a good thirty miles around. Keep the little freak busy for a while.


	4. Weird

With Sara discovering the wonders of the 21st Century, I joined Ric and Elena in visiting Isobel's old office for information about Katherine. Stefan had decided to stay behind and teach Caroline all about his supposed honourable diet. I honestly couldn't see the prom queen feeding on a little squirrel but whatever. She'll make a decent vampire.

Elena still hadn't forgiven me, even after I took a bloody arrow for her so after we found out everything we could about Katherine from Isobel's assistant, I told her Katherine's real name and gave her the Petrova book. I didn't want to seem desperate.

I barely saw Sara the next few days. She was spending most of her time at the school weirdly and despite everything that went on with Katherine and that Lockwood werewolf, she stayed out of all of it. If this wasn't trouble that we needed help with then what was? It wasn't until the Historical Society Day that she showed herself for more than two seconds. I had just taken a shower and was walking past what was now her room.

"Damon…what's Elena wearing to the Lockwood's gathering?" she asked fumbling around dozens of brightly coloured dresses in one of her boxes. It reminded me how she was still just a girl despite talking like a granny and fighting like a monster. She can't have been more than twenty when she turned.

"I don't know. Apparently she and Stefan have broken up so I have no idea." Sara wasn't even listening to me. She slipped out of her clothes and threw on a bright green dress. Age had not increased her modesty evidently.

"What do you think?" she asked seriously. How on earth would I know?

"Er…I don't know. Goes with your eyes?" I said half mindedly.

"You're right! Thanks Damon." It seemed that she'd cheered up in solitude.

"Why are you coming anyway? I thought you wanted to maintain the mysterious persona, you know creepy and scary?" I asked bewildered that she wanted to come when she didn't want anyone to know her name a few days ago.

"I should get to know the town. People here know about vampires apparently. Need to keep my name clean so I should do a little walkabout in the Sun. Besides, it's lonely revising for SATs all day." I didn't even ask.

"How come you can walk in the Sun by the way?"

"You don't think I would've run into a witch in the many centuries I've been undead for?" she said with her sly smile back. "Anyway hurry up Damon! You have to take me to the Lockwoods and you can't come in just a towel." I was so shocked I didn't even argue. Well not until we were on our way and she bored me with an insanely long story on her cover story about how she was a distant relative of ours who'd been orphaned in a boating accident and had now moved to Mystic Falls.

"Ok. Sara. If I'm going to wonder around here with you on my arm then you're gonna have to zip it. Now as heart-wrenching as your story is, you've forgotten to give yourself a last name."

"Oi! Don't talk to me like that," she said nudging me in the ribs as we walked up to the Lockwood mansion, "and wont Salvatore do?"

"You can't take my name!"

"Geez, calm down. I've used it for school and everything you know. Why the hell not here?"

"Well because…" I couldn't actually think of a reason and could only think of how I'd seen her changing in my room. "Ok fine. You're Sara Salvatore." I agreed before she started glaring.

"Has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Oh there's Stefan," she began waving like a child.

"You look wonderful, Sara," Stefan commented.

"Why thank you Stefan, you look very handsome yourself." We were then met by Liz Forbes and Carol Lockwood. They instantly took a liking to Sara as she complimented them about Mystic Falls. I hated that she could manipulate people so easily just like Katherine. Eventually they left to greet others.

"Oh and by the way Stefan, I'm sorry about you and Elena. Damon told me." Stefan didn't seem put off at all. I highly doubted Elena and Stefan had broken up. Most likely, a ploy to keep Katherine at bay. I took a glass of lemonade and began to drink it when my throat started burning up, like I'd swallowed acid. I spat it out on reflex.

"What's wrong Damon?" Stefan asked, steadying me as I almost toppled over. Before I had a chance to reply Sara took the glass of lemonade and drank it swiftly, merely shivered and answered for me.

"Vervain. Long time no see."

"That bastard Lockwood is showing us what he can do. When I get my hands on that…" Anger was welling up inside me.

"The werewolf?" Sara asked looking around.

"Yeah. How come you know Sara?" Stefan asked.

"You don't think I sit in your house and not listen to your every word do you?" she asked still scouting for someone in the crowd. "Damon, don't get ahead of yourself. He must be here for a reason and I don't think he spiked the drink just to hurt you. What did you do to annoy him anyway?" Eurgh. She didn't skip a beat.

"He stabbed him with a silver knife. I had nothing to do with it," Stefan ratted on me. Sara just looked confused.

"Why?"

"Because you know silver…thought I might give it a go." I had gotten over the vervain and scoured the crowd for Mason. Sara looked at me amused, clearly fighting back a laugh.

"He's not here. And in the future, let me know before you do suicidal things like that. Go back to the house guys. I'll go find him," she said tonelessly and disappeared into the crowd.

"I still don't get her. She was in the house when Katherine was. Why didn't she help when Katherine escaped?" Stefan asked me, like I would know how her mind worked.

We were heading back to the house like Sara had told us to but we were discussing her and what she was up to when the reason Mason spiked my drink came very clear. Liz Forbes and a team of cops attacked us with wooden bullets, shot us with vervain and dragged us away through the woods. Damn that werewolf bastard.

We were trying to talk Liz out of killing us but with little success. Luckily that's when Caroline burst in followed by Sara. Caroline quickly attacked the police and threatened her mother to let us go. Sara sidled over to us, inspecting our wounds and silently began plucking out the wooden bullets with her bare hands.

"Don't worry. Caroline will sort this. Don't move just yet. That means you Damon," she said in the same toneless voice. "I'm sorry I left you guys. I should've gone with you." I don't see what she could've done against wooden bullets but whatever, she seemed to care. That was enough.

Eventually Caroline wore down her mother, who was now on her knees, taking in the fact that her daughter was a vampire. Not well to say the least.

Once Liz had been sworn to secrecy by her daughter, Stefan and I were helped out of the dungeon by Caroline and Sara when Elena came running towards us. She hugged Stefan tightly who flinched in pain. Much less pain than I was feeling surely? Caroline took her stuttering mother back to town, Elena helped Stefan walk back to hers, leaving me to wander back to my house with Sara. I turned to go but Sara was still staring at the dungeon.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I…no. You go on ahead Damon. I'll catch up." I left her to it. In my foul mood I would only get her angry at me too.

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><p>I went home and drank more blood to drain the vervain out. Still in a foul mood I sat there plotting how to deal with Mason when at length Sara finally came back.<p>

"Where were you?"

"I…oh whatever. I healed those policemen, wiped their memories and left them at the hospital. Go on. Judge me all you want."

"Stefan will be happy." I said shortly. She washed her hands and sat down beside me. Her summery green dress was soiled with blood, both vampire and human. She didn't seem to mind. She was happy yet again.

"Why are you already so happy? There's a werewolf on the loose, now more people know about vampires and they are staying alive for some reason and Katherine is still out there plotting who knows what." I was bitter. Mason had got the better of me and Elena still didn't care at all.

Sara looked taken aback but replied calmy, "Well about an hour ago, I thought you and Stefan might die. I was running through the forest after talking to Mason and when I couldn't find your voices I thought…" she looked away, attempting to hide emotion. I shoved a blood bag in her face. Blood lets you swallow emotions like nothing. "Look, you guys have let me stay here, maybe not all that willingly but still. I'm very grateful and I'll do everything I can to keep you guys alive. You have my word." She stood up to leave but I held her wrist gently.

"What did Mason say?" Her arm seized up in my hand. She wasn't expecting that. "Sara ,what do you know about all of this curse, the wolf and the moonstone?"

She sat down again. "I was hoping you'd take a little longer to find out about the curse but there's so many of you, you manage to work quickly. I've known about the curse for a while. I had no idea the moonstone was here until recently and well I was following you around for a few days before I showed myself and I saw Mason at the Carnival. It's easy to spot a werewolf when you know the telltale signs."

"You followed us?" I asked shocked. She didn't seem the type to prey.

"In true vampire fashion no? Taunting you for a while?" she said with a smile. I wasn't going to let her change the subject.

"Sara, what did Mason say?" she was finally answering questions without holding back so I pushed her a little.

"I only asked him why he spiked your drink. He thought you were beyond help by that point so he admitted he had told the Sheriff." I could sense her getting a little uncomfortable.

"You didn't ask what the moonstone is for?"

"Damon, the moonstone is one of the things you need to break the curse. Mason must be trying to break it to favour the werewolves. Can't blame him to be honest. I knew a werewolf once, turning is….unbearable. If werewolves break the curse, vampires will still be bound by the Sun but werewolves can turn whenever. It would give them the advantage against vampires."

"I don't get it. You say you want to help us, then why are you hiding all this information from us? We're trying to fight a crazy vampire and a rampant werewolf here and you think it's a guessing game?" I instantly felt guilty for shouting at her. She didn't get angry though, she looked down at her knees. She couldn't look at me. Was she upset again? Dear god I upset this girl more times in a day than I do Stefan in a century.

"Sara what on earth is wrong now? I'm sure I didn't cross a boundary this time," I said rolling my eyes, "I can ask why you claim to be helping us when you're really not, can't I?" She just sat there frozen.

"Damon, Katherine is the least of your problems. Pretty soon vampires way more dangerous than Katherine are going to come for Elena, not to mention wolves and witches…We need to get the moonstone first though. Leave it to me. Probably better if I talk to Mason, I didn't piss him off. Until then, try not to cause more trouble. The lower profile you guys keep, the better." She talked to her knees and not to me, shaking slightly. She seemed scared. Of what was the question? Can't be me, she could kill me in a second. "Look, Damon. Cut me a little slack ok? It's bad enough having to start in this new place all over again and looking out for danger everywhere I go, I can't stand you being angry at me too!" She wrenched her hand out of mine and stormed off.

Most of me just wanted to sit here and let her storm off. Who cares if yet another person can't stand me right? But a tiny bit of me wanted to make this right. She meant well I guess. I flashed in front of her, stopping her before she could leave the room. She walked right into me and tried to brush past but I held her arms, keeping her firmly in front of me. Forcing her to look me in the eyes I noticed her eyes were red. She was close to a breakdown.

"Sara, I'm just worried alright? Katherine's back and she's threatening Elena and it annoys me that we just don't know what this werewolf wants. I didn't mean to shout at you," I said despite my instincts telling me not to apologise. "Why can't you just tell me what's bothering you? And if you know of more danger that could be coming, why won't you tell us?" She stared at me, anger welling up in her dark green eyes.

"Because Damon there is no way in hell that you can prepare for what's coming!" There are vampires out there much worse than Katherine and between you, Stefan and Caroline you barely have 300 years. You'll get killed in a second. I'm only looking out for you, the way you're looking out for everyone here. Although, you're only doing it for Elena. I'm not much better. I guess right now I have no one else. Forgive me for wanting to protect the only friends I have in the world right now." She stood there for a minute, staring me down until I looked away. Her knowing exactly how I felt about Elena gave her the advantage over me. She walked away triumphant.

"You know, Stefan and I may only have 300 years together but I'm guessing if we put you into the equation our odds are much higher," I called out hoping she'd get the hint.

"You got that right. Maybe you should be a little nicer to me then?" she smiled weakly and went up the stairs.

I sat down on the sofa again, feeling better that I hadn't completely blown her fuse. I was more worried now though. If Sara was right and there are more vampires coming then we better get prepared. No point in trying to get more info out of Sara. She wasn't going to say anymore, even if she did think of us as friends. However, we did know about Mason now. Time to put an end to his playtime.

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><p><strong>Please Review! How else will I know what you want to read? x<strong>


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